Disney World Resort

[jmd0727]

I am looking to book a mini vacation during the first wk of May......I really never been there before and I am trying to figure out what resort to stay at.....anyone have any recommendations??

 

[Alicnwondrln]

How many people in your party? What is your budget for your resort?
When was your last stay?

 

[Bob P]

Hi and welcome to the DIS!

Check here for information on all Disney resorts:

http://allears.net/acc/faq_hot.htm

We don't know what your budget is, if you will have a car, if you are going with kids, serior citizens, by yourself, etc...So if you check the link you will find everything you need to know about each Disney resort. Enjoy your trip!

 

[jmd0727]

well there will be three of us......my husband, me and my 5 yr old son....we are going down for his bday. I was pricing stuff for Animal kingdom but not sure you know....last time I was there was when I was 12 and dont remember really anything.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

With just 3 of you, you can stay in any of the Disney resorts. It all depends on how much you want to spend and what sorts of amenities you want.

Value resorts are the least expensive and smallest rooms. The rooms have 2 double beds and exterior corridors. There is a food court, but no sit-down restaurant. The pools are fine, but not fancy. There is no refrigerator or coffee pot in the rooms.

Moderate resorts are the next step up. The rooms are a little larger. They have exterior corridors. Of the 4 Moderate resorts, 3 of them have 2 double beds in the rooms (Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter) and 1 of them has 2 queen beds in the rooms (Coronado Springs). They usually have a table-service restaurant available (except French Qtr) and a food court, and each room has a fridge and coffee pot. The pools are themed and have water slides.

There are a couple of different levels of Deluxe resorts but they have interior corridors, queen-sized beds and table-service restaurants and smaller food courts. Nice well-themed pools with water slides. The Polynesian, Contemporary and Grand Floridian are on the monorail line and very close to the Magic Kingdom. The Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge are a little less expensive, but the rooms are smaller than the other Deluxes.

There are also studio and suite accommodations at the Disney Vacation Club resorts.

Check into the current promotion, the "buy 4, get 3 free" where you pay for 4 nights' stay and get 3 free, and pay for 4 park days and get 3 free. I would also recommend that you check into getting the Disney Dining Plan if you'd like to take your son to any of the character meals. You definitely get your money's worth when you do the character meals, as they're quite pricey.

Hope this helps some! Feel free to ask questions - everyone around here is very helpful!

 

[jmd0727]

yes I was thinking about going to the animal kingdom but will I really be there that much you know.......

 

[Lynne M]

There are so many resorts on Disney property, with such a wide range of prices, themes, locations and room types. And every single one of them is the 'best resort' for someone on this board. So, you're going to end up getting a recommendation for every resort on property.

The best I can suggest is that you read up on each resort. Try a guidebook like "Birnbaum's Official Guide to WDW". Since you haven't been to WDW in such a long time, the Official Guide is nice because it gives you an overview of all the resorts, restaurants and attractions at WDW.

Once you've got the basics down, look at resort descriptions and photos on wdwinfo.com and allears.net.

It's also useful to think in terms of location. What theme park(s) do you think you'll be spending most of your time in? With a 5 year old, you'll probably be wanting to return to your resort for a break in the afternoon, so location/transportation can be important.

 

[abc999]

There are a lot of choices and you will have to figure out what your DS likes. We spent a week 2 years ago at All Star Movies and my kids loved the huge statues of 101 Dalmations, Toy Story and all the other movies. My kids also enjoyed the little extraas at Port Orleans Riverside, including riding a surrey bike and going on a horse carriage ride.

I recently ask DD5 where she would like to stay next time and she said All Star Sports, cause she thought the theming there was cool.

If we were going to stay at a Deluxe, I would probably choose Animal Kingdom Lodge, because both my kids love animals.

It all comes down to budget and personal preference. We don't really care where we stay, because we are not at the resort all that much.

 

[elliotps932]

I am looking to book a mini vacation during the first wk of May......I really never been there before and I am trying to figure out what resort to stay at.....anyone have any recommendations??

post some more info dude.

 

[shordiebecka]

The unofficial guide to WDW is also really good also. Official guide= color pages, lots of pictures, not as much content as the unofficial guide. Give us more info about what you like & don't like (your family too) and maybe we can help you more!!!

 

[Stitch2244314]

Hmm, well there are a wide variety of choices for you!!

Value Resorts- (Pop and the 3 All-Star Resorts) These are the most affordable places to stay. They are all very bright, fun, and have in your face themes to them. They tend to be fairly loud and crowded, but like I said they are very fun! I've only stayed at All-Star Movies before, though, so I can't really recommend one over the others.

Moderate Resorts- (Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans French Quarter, Coronado Springs, and Port Orleans Riverside). These are a step up from the values, and tend to feel more quiet and relaxed. Caribbean Beach has a tropical island theme and French Quarter has a Mardi Gras type theme... I think those are your best options with a five year old.

Deluxe Resorts- I've actually never stayed at one... I know that the most affordable ones are the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Wilderness Lodge. I'm not an expert on these resorts, so I can't be much help to you there.

Good luck deciding and have a great trip!